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namrettek I maintain the thread that lists the current versions of Genesis products. You can get a list of what the current version numbers are and I included a lot of information on things to be aware of when updating.

namrettek I maintain the thread that lists the current versions of Genesis products. You can get a list of what the current version numbers are and I included a lot of information on things to be aware of when updating.

Do geometry shells have any other function than to aid with geo-grafting? Also, I got a crash to desktop when deleting the main figure with a geometry shell parented to it, so be careful.

Well, it makes a copy of the selected node with a Push modifier applied of 1 cm, IIRC, with the ability to have a different shader than the original (this is the main difference I am aware of between Geometry Shell and Instance), so it is bigger than the node it copies. So most uses would take advantage of either the lower memory consumption or the same geometrical appearance but different shader possibilities. Off the top of my head I can think of a few uses:
-The fast AO that Wiseavatar mentions here: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/4949/
-For "closed meshes" (AKA manifold 3 meshes) you can use them as a container for volume effects (glows, auras, and whatnot; you'll have to increase the Push modifier as needed, though, if you also have the source node inside the geometry shell)
-Fast morph to give a more rounded appearance to anything (again, must be closed mesh); the push modifier would be the correct way to do this, but if you have several copies of something they'll look a bit different.
-It uses less memory than loading another copy of the node so you can use that in case you need to have multiple copies with different shading (e.g. a chess set, load just the white pieces, then do a geomery shell for the black pieces, remember to dial back the Push modifier). Useful if memory is a problem.
-In scripting, probably useful for loads of things, e.g. in case you need to make intersection rays that stop a bit before the mesh (for things such as collison detection, I would imagine, or volume measurement) .
-Possible Toon outline, now that I think of it. You may have to squish the figure, though, and have a shader that can shade it properly once it is squished.
-A more dented appearance with displacement maps: since by default it pushes the surface out, you can increase the strength of opportune displacement maps to make deeper cracks/holes/more-displaced-towards-the-inside that wouldn't work on the unmodified node. Again handy if you have two or three copies of the same object and you don't want them to look identical.
-etc.

I just wanted to confirm that I'm building new versions of Reality, version 2.5, that are compatible with Studio 4.5. In fact they are already been built, I'm testing them and then sending them to the testers for a wider verification.

If everything checks out I should have the update, which is free, available on Monday. I will send a mailer to let people know about the update.

I just wanted to confirm that I'm building new versions of Reality, version 2.5, that are compatible with Studio 4.5. In fact they are already been built, I'm testing them and then sending them to the testers for a wider verification.

If everything checks out I should have the update, which is free, available on Monday. I will send a mailer to let people know about the update.

I already have 4.0.xx installed and lots of content in my library. When installing 4.5, do I say no to installing Content Management Service? Is it a new version or will reinstalling it remove my entire library? This isn't covered in the Installation Guide.

I already have 4.0.xx installed and lots of content in my library. When installing 4.5, do I say no to installing Content Management Service? Is it a new version or will reinstalling it remove my entire library?

Install the Content Management Service if you are using it now. It's just the program to access your library; installing it will not remove your library (at least not if you specify the same library location you had last time so it's looking for it in the right place anyway.)

When prompted during installation, check "Customize DAZ Content Management Service Installation".In the Content Management Service's Install Directories window, change or verify the " Database location" field is set to wherever you have your database currently.

What I would dearly love is a way to shut off the darned "Tips" tab or a way to drag it to the second position. I don't need that, I need the Info tab front and center. Yea, it's only one more click but it's still annoying. I'm not a newbie so my preference is to turn it off completely.

Can anyone tell me how fast, Customer Service can process a refund on a Whole order?
If this had been out on the 15th, I would have change Drasticlly what I had pruchased in the Customer Appreciation Sale.

I guess I will just have to Live with it, because by the time it is processed, The sale will be over.